Zoo uses Marvin Gaye’s music to help get pandas in the mood

Panda mating season is approaching and Edinburgh Zoo is determined to make sure their male panda, Yang Guang, seals the deal with their female panda, Tian Tian. One strategic move has included switching the background musical stylings from Classic FM to Smooth Radio, particularly Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” and other sensual songs, to help set the mood.

While this might seem like a crazy idea, it actually seems to be working.

“We play easy listening radio to Yang Guang in his off-show area,” a spokeswoman for Edinburgh Zoo told Mirror News. “You can often see him sit back, relax and eat his bamboo whilst the radio is on.”

The zoo has also created an intimate warm-up routine for the two pandas consisting of physical exercises, mood lightning and extra bamboo.

If the pandas do in fact mate, their cubs will be the first to be born in the U.K. But mating in captivity is no easy task — only a few zoos outside of China have succeeded in their attempts.

One of the main reasons it’s so hard to breed pandas is because females are only fertile two days a year and are known for being very selective when it comes to mating.

According to the Huffington Post, the zoo tried to mate Yang Guang and Tian Tian last year and, even though they showed signs of attraction toward each other, they ultimately didn’t mate.

Hopefully Marvin Gaye’s music will help ensure that both the zoo and the pandas get lucky this year.